A new article by David Holmgren, "Bee keeping for the energy descent future," is available for download. This article is a reflection on "the prospects for apiculture (bee keeping) as a sustainable and resilient livelihood in the future," and considers the current state of apiculture and future possibilities from a number of different angles. The article is available for download from the Writings page of the Holmgren Design Services website www.holmgren.com.au. Please email [email protected] or post here if you have any trouble opening it and I can send it instead. Liz for Holmgren Design Services
From page 4: So why am I so upbeat about bees and beekeeping in the energy descent future? Firstly, bees are livestock that free range up to 2km from home across all boundaries and barriers, harvesting nectar and pollen sources using their own amazing intelligence and communication. Love it. Anarcho-communalist bees! Thanks for sharing, Liz, and please pass on my kindest regards to David, Su, and those amazing bees. Markos
Even better when they leave someone else's place and move into my joint..... I guess that is what you could call a Free-bee. Ha. If your in Qld, think about getting your hands on Popcorn Cassia as a forage for your bees as it flowers for up to 10 months a year here, grows like a weed and the bees love it. If your passing Nth Brissie drop in and grab some seeds. I have European and Australian Native (Sugar Bag) stringless bee hives at either end of my food forest. I love watching the stringless bees up close. Thanks for the read Liz and David.
Baz I was given seeds for popcorn cassia recently and they are just starting to germinate. How big does it get and where should I put it in the garden? And other than bees and chop and drop what can I use it for?
Hi Eco It gets to about 2m here, it's a legume so it helps improve soils, good for chop and drop, the flowers smell amazing, I now get many native carpenter bees and other beneficial insects because of it. it grows better than pigeon pea here. Long heavy flowering during low pollen and nectar times of the year.
Very few bees in my suburban garden Trying to cross a few flowers but never see any bees on them of late.
Hi Michaelangelica Have you thought about getting a native sting less bee hive? https://www.sugarbag.net/ They are a great feature for suburban gardens, I got one for roughly $300. (it was a birthday present)
